April 06, 2005
And on the Throne of St. Peter we have...
Who is favoured to be Pope? Let's see.
According to the Washington Post, gamblers can back Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi of Italy at odds of 11 to 4. "Or they can take their chances on Father Dougal Maguire of Craggy Island, Ireland, a long shot at 1,000 to 1."
But the Post's reporter was unaware of a key detail that, generous odds aside, would make canny bettors take a pass on Father Dougal.
He is a fictional character.
More accurately spelled McGuire, he appears in the hit British television comedy Father Ted, screened on the ABC in Australia.
The show follows the antics of an eccentric group of Catholic priests on a small island off the west coast of Ireland.
The clueless Dougal is described by Britain's Channel 4 television as "one of God's 'special' creatures" but even so, he is not thought likely to assume the throne of St Peter.
Posted by Quentin George at April 6, 2005 06:30 PMHe's fictional! No way! That explains why there's no Craggy Island in Ireland, the shithole.
Posted by: Engels at April 7, 2005 08:07 PMOn behalf of my Irish ancestors, I take offense to the word "shithole".
Ireland's more of a pestilent dungheap.
Posted by: Aidan at April 8, 2005 06:46 PM